Improvement in mowers



H. H. BRIDENTHAL, Jr,

MoWER.

Patented sept. ze, 1:87a.

mmm mmm y Uivrrnn STATES Artnr Ormea.

HARRY H. BRIDNTHAL, JR., OF WESTMORELAN COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA..

IMPROVEMENT IN lviowERs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 182,552, dated September 2.6, 1876; application led October?, 1875.

,Zo all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY H. BRIDENTHAL, J r., of the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interchangeable Grain-Binding Harvester and Mower; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description ofthe same as adapted to mowing, reference being had to the drawings forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a top view of my improved machine, showing the general plan. Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the line t1 1, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the sleeve-connection, taken through the line t' t, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the pitman-connection, showing its construction. Fig. 5` is a vertical section o f the same; and Fig. 6 isa vertical section of the sleeve-connection, taken' through the line 3 i3, Fig. 3, showing the arrangement of the sleeve 9 and the brace 6.

Similar letters ahd numbers-of reference,

where they occur in different figures, refer to like parts of the machine in all of the drawlngs.

The subject-matter of this application for Letters Patent relates to my machine as ar-. ranged and adapted for mowing; and the object of my invention is to improve the general construction of mowers, making them more easily operated, convenient to use, and more effective in operation 5 and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the various parts hereinafter more fully described and specifically claimed.

In the drawings, a a represent the drivewheels of my machine, which are .attached to the ends of the main shaftfor arde l1., in the usual manner.- B B is the frame, and 7a la is the gearing. The said frame and gearing do not dier materially from that usually used in this class of harvesters and mowers. `To

the forward end 31- of the frameB A is firmly secured the sleeve 32, which is provided with a base-plate or lugs for thel purpose. Near the middle of the said sleeve 32 is formed a ball corresponding with a socket formed in the sleeve 9, which fits loosely thereon, and is secured by means of the cap 10, which is heid in place by screw-bolts or other suitable means. Within the sleeve 32 is formed a bearing, in which is placed the crank-shaft 30, the end piece 3l of the frame being perforated opposite the said bearing for the purpose, and the opposite end of the crankshaft is pivotedV to the rear end of the frame, where it is connected with the gearing in the usual manner. Within the sleeve 9 is formed a shoulder corresponding with a shoulder' near the end of the brace 6, which fits snugly but not tightly within, the shoulder preventing it from passing too far through. The end of the brace-rod 6 is made long enough to pass through the sleeve 9 and receive the braces e and f, which are secured thereon by means of a pin or nut, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The opposite end of the brace 6 is hinged to the inger-bar l2 by means of a hinge hereinafter described. The brace 6 passes through an eye formed in the lower end of the arm 4, which is secured to near the middle of the said brace by a collar formed thereon and by the movable collar 24. The lower end of the arm 4 is curved forward and outward nearly at right p angles, passing forward beneath the pitman, jand, bymeans of an eye formed on its end, isv

secured to the forward end of the shoe 13, in the same manner as is the brace f, the opposite end of` which is with the brace e, secured to the sleeve 9 and the brace-rod 6, as before described. The upper end of the arm 4-is prof vided with a number of holes about opposite the tongue when the cutter-bar is down, for the purpose of connecting'the link o and adjusting it so as to cause the said arm to stand ,forward or farther back, as may be desired.

rI he opposite end of the link 'v is secured to the main frame by means of the eyeboltu. Near the angle of the arm'et and the brace g `is formed an eye, to which is secured the rear end of the secondary tongue d, which has for its purpose to support the linger-bar laterally, the opposite end being provided with a hook, which is secured to a suitable eye on the maintongue near 4its point. To the tongue d, and

as far forward as practicable to leave room for the team, is secured the forward end of the brace e. The opposite end thereof is secured to thebrace and sleeve 9 6, as shown in Figs. l and 6. By this construction the ngenbar is carried along the surface of the ground by the secondary tongue d, andallowed to play vertically, and to adjust itself tothe inequalities of the iield, the tongue (l being connect-y ed forwardly higherthan the cutter-bar. Hence the draft has a tendency to assist in raising it over obstructions, and as the draft of the finger-bar only is imposed upon the tongue 1,2 which isnot in any Way influenced by the draft l of the drive-wheels, the cutter-bar is not raised by excessive resistance or draft of the said drive-wheels, but only when it comes in contact with some obstruction. The upper end of the arm 4 being connected to the main frame. by means of the short link o, it is evident that, when the finger-bar is raised above the plane of cut, or drops below it, the upper end of the said arm 4 moves inthe arc of a. circle about the eyebolt u, which causes the points of the guards to be raised relative to the bar. Hence, when the bar drops into a yrut or depression, the guards rise obliquely, enabling `thebar to rise out withoutrunningwthem into the .bank or ground, and when the said bar isrased or rises over a stone or hillock,vtlhe finger-b ar-,is rolled backward, as-before describerhandin a measure protecting -the knife from injury,- and causing the bar to more easily pass the obstruction. To the innerend of l,thecutter bar b is secured aconical .s tud, 2 0, aboutwhich Works the corresponding conical bearingwithin the block 6, and at right angles with the.

stud-bearing is formed the bearingof thept-4 man 19. Between the said pitrnan and studbearings is placed the follower-block 21, which is grooved at right angles on its opposite sides to correspond lwith the stud `and pitman bearings, in vthe latter of which is formeda projection, which en ters anannular groove in 'the pitman-journal, thus securingit in place,and preventing it from coming out except when the block 6 is removed fromtheswd 20 r and the follower-block withdrawn.

`The block 6 is secured to the studbyi means of the check-uutsZZ, whichserve to adjust the aforesaid bearings to Icompensate for Wearby drawing the said block down upon thelarger part of thestud 20, .which thus serves as pun. pose of a cotter. By this construction the cutter-bar and pitman are relieved .0f undue strain when the nger-bar is rolled .or adjusted to different positions. I t also allows the use of long substantial bearings for the pitman, which can always be kept tight.

The inner end ofthe cutter b is beveled on its opposite sides vor edges, the rear of whichl corresponds with the beveledslide I Gattached tothe nger-bar 1 2. 14 isa similar beveled block placed at theforward side of .the v,said cutter-bar and secured to theiuner shoe `or finger bar by means ofscrew-bolts which pass through slotted holes therein, thus providing means of adjusting the slides and compensating for wear, and keeping the inner end ofthe cutter-bar securely in place.

The inner shoe 13 is formed of a single thin vpieceofV metal, corrugated or curved laterally throughout its length, ,and the edges are turned outwardly', forming lips, which secure it to thevnger-bar, and at the rear end is a nlip-turned upward and projecting past the rear edge of the bar, andl far enough to form a stud, to whichishiuged Athe brace 6, .whichv is divided at the end, forming jaws, which re- V,ceives the said lip, and is secured by means of a=throu-gh bolt or pin, thus forming a hinge. The forward end of the shoe 13 is rolled together, as shown in Fig. 1, forming a pivot,

which enters the .eyesrformedvin the ends of the braces g and f.

shoe-braces and secondary tongue I am en- ;abled to construct the maehinevery light, and Sffzcilfe, the same time, ,sufficient strength, as nearly. all of v the strains are imposed upon theparts in the direction `of theirlengtli, the main ,frame .being relieved y0f the angular i strain caused by Ithelisual manner ofbracing lfront-eut lmachines.

It can, therefore, be. made much lighter-than usual in this classof mQWQS- When the .machine is` to be transported. #1S

from onefield to another, the link v is removed from the arm .4, when the fingerbarmay .conveniently be` felded across the tongue.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I iclaiin asnew, and. desireto Vsecure by Letters Patent, iS..-

1. ,The combination of the pole C,.secondary Pole d', arm. 4; and-.the braces ef y, these mem- 1 bars .constructed and operating substantially Ias amd for thevpurpose herein speciiied.

The y combination of theframe 3l, sleeve andball 32, shaft 30, socketsleeve 9, and Athe bfeeesif andi-,6, substantially asandfor the purpose setforth. 3. IIn,combinatirm A.With-the braces 6 and 9, the removable collar 24, as and for the purrosehrein specified- .4. The vcornbination of the arm 4, link fu, framei, .and thefbrae y, .these ,members C011-,

`str ucted Tand operating substantiallyas and for thelpurpo'ses herein specified. Y

5. Theherein-described shoe 13, consisting of a thin metallic plate, corrugated length- Wise, and providedwith lips and pivots, all @Qnsrlwted Substantially in the/.manner and for the purposes herein specified. 6. lhe braceand thesleeve 9, provided with lthe Smulders 9%, Substantially@ and i0 the p urnosesllerein v.Seb fortll- 7. The cutter-bar `b.c,o nic,al stud 2 0, blockl6, ,follower-block Zl, and thepitman `19, these membersiall combined and constructed sub-- .s'tantiallyin the mannerand for thepurposes herein specified. i,

HARRY H. BRIDENTHAL, JR.

Witnesses:

HIBAM A. SMITH, SMITH. 

